Salesforce–SAP Integration Explained: Best Practices for Success

Publish date:

• 18th July, 2023

SAP and Salesforce are two powerful and well-known tools in the business world. SAP is a leading global ERP system, while Salesforce is the top CRM choice among many Fortune 500 companies. Today, businesses use many digital tools to manage their tasks. Research by Salesforce integration service providers shows that companies often use ten or more different tools to get their work done.

Many businesses use SAP to manage their operations and Salesforce for customer relationships. However, when these systems operate independently, teams experience delays, mistakes, and missing information. By connecting SAP with Salesforce, companies can create a complete view, improve processes, and turn data into growth opportunities. This integration is more than just an IT upgrade; it is a strategy for business growth.

Integrating SAP and Salesforce means connecting their functions, data, and processes so they work as a single system. The goal is to keep users on a single screen, which improves productivity. While integration can be challenging and time-consuming, it has become simpler over time. This is because technical issues have been solved, leading to the emergence of Salesforce integration service providers.

Let’s explore how Salesforce works with SAP, the benefits of this integration, and the best ways to connect the two systems. Let’s begin!

How to integrate the two?

• Type 1 integration. Custom development by the businesses themselves. It's ideal for the techies involved, but can be problematic for the businesses concerned, say Salesforce integration services providers.

• Type 2 integration. IPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service). Many big firms have an integration platform to handle their APIs, both internal and external, and use it to integrate Salesforce with SAP.

• Type 3 integration. SaaS (Software as a Service). SaaS companies deliver predefined integration materials that handle the technical aspects of integration while simultaneously managing key business processes. Companies like Salesforce and integration services providers handle integration and offer best-practice recommendations for all business processes.

Salesforce and SAP: A Quick Overview

Here’s a quick overview of both platforms to help you understand them better:

Salesforce

Salesforce is one of the top customer relationship management (CRM) platforms. It helps sales, marketing, and service teams by providing real-time insights about customers, leads, and their journeys at every interaction.

SAP

SAP is a leading supplier of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software used by companies worldwide. Finance, purchasing, supply chain, human resources, and production are among the crucial business operations it supports. SAP assists businesses in maintaining stability, adhering to legal requirements, and standardizing their operations. SAP S/4HANA Cloud is part of SAP’s plan to help companies become more innovative and more efficient.

Both platforms have different functions and are effective on their own. But why should we combine them? Let’s explore this!

• Also Read: Sap vs Salesforce

What is Salesforce SAP integration?

Salesforce SAP integration connects Salesforce CRM with SAP ERP. This connection brings together customer, sales, and operational data. It helps businesses make faster decisions, streamline processes, and have one clear source of information.

Types of Salesforce SAP integrations:

1. Salesforce SAP S/4HANA integration

This integration allows Salesforce and SAP to share data in real time. It improves visibility in finance, supply chain, and sales.

2. Salesforce SAP ECC integration

Many businesses still use ECC, which stands for SAP Enterprise Resource Planning Central Component. Connecting ECC to Salesforce enables easy data sharing as they transition to S/4HANA. SAP ECC, which replaced SAP R/3, is a key part of the SAP Business Suite. Now, S/4HANA has taken over as its successor.

3. Salesforce SAP ByDesign integration

ByDesign is SAP's cloud ERP designed for mid-sized companies. It integrates with Salesforce, providing growing businesses with a simple system that doesn't require heavy IT costs.

4. SAP Business One Salesforce integration

This integration is designed for small and growing businesses that use SAP Business One. It connects CRM and ERP data to enhance visibility across sales, inventory, and finance departments.

5. SAP Cloud Platform integration (CPI) with Salesforce

SAP CPI is a tool that connects Salesforce and SAP applications. It offers flexible and scalable solutions for this purpose.

If you're interested in Salesforce integrations, we have a detailed beginner-friendly guide that you can read here.

Why You Should Integrate Salesforce and SAP?

They connect the front office (Salesforce) with the back office (SAP). It helps organizations link revenue generation to operational execution.

Here are some of the reasons that validate that integrating these platforms is beneficial for businesses: 

1. End-to-end process automation 

The integration automates workflows from creating quotes in Salesforce to fulfilling orders in SAP. This process reduces the need for multiple teams and manual steps, thereby reducing delays and errors. Streamlining these tasks helps to cut cycle times and speed up other processes.

2. Centralized view for data

This integration reduces data duplication and the need for reconciliation across systems. Now, leaders, managers, and customer service representatives have a clear view of customers, orders, invoices, and inventory.

3. Improved decision-making and Forecasting

Salesforce's CRM pipeline insights, along with SAP's capacity and inventory data, help executives accurately forecast demand. This information enables them to optimize supply chains and avoid overstock and shortages in real time.

4. Enhanced customer service

With connected systems, businesses can quickly respond to customer needs. They can deliver quotes in minutes and resolve billing or service issues in a single call. It helps improve customer satisfaction and enhances the business's reputation.

5. Better risk mitigation and compliance regulation

Automated syncing with built-in checks and audit trails during data transfers helps reduce human errors. It reduces compliance risks, simplifies reporting, and protects your business from penalties by ensuring error-free, trackable processes.

Connecting front-office and back-office systems is essential for running operations efficiently. If you want to learn more about how ERP integrations work, read our detailed guide on Salesforce ERP integrations for businesses. It offers practical ways to align Salesforce with SAP integration.

How to integrate SAP and Salesforce?

There are several ways to integrate SAP and Salesforce. Here are some methods you can use for this integration:

1. API-based integration

Salesforce and SAP offer APIs that let them communicate in real time. REST APIs are lightweight and easy to use in the cloud, while SOAP APIs provide a secure way to send structured messages, which is excellent for significant business transactions. 

Best chosen when:

• The organization wants faster integration.

• The organization seeks to synchronize points directly, without using middleware.

2. Middleware / iPaaS solutions

Middleware platforms like MuleSoft, Dell Boomi, Informatica, and SAP Cloud Platform Integration (CPI) serve as connection points between Salesforce and SAP. They manage data changes, organize information, keep data in sync, retry failed actions, and monitor everything at scale.

Best chosen when:

• The organization has a complex IT system that requires secure connectivity between multiple applications.

• The organization involves scalability.

• The organization wants to improve its operational resilience compared to using point-to-point APIs.

3. Packaged integration options

For organizations that want to move quickly, packaged options make integration easy and fast. Salesforce Connect lets you view SAP data in real time via OData without creating duplicate records. Pre-built connectors from the AppExchange, SAP Store, or MuleSoft Accelerators provide ready-made solutions for syncing customer, order, or invoice data. These options save development time and lower integration risks, making them appealing for everyday use cases.

Best chosen when:

• The organization wants the integration to be faster.

• The organization has standardized its requirements. 

• Flexibility isn’t required.

• Customization isn’t needed.

4. Custom integration development

When business processes are too unique for standard tools, custom development is the best choice. Developers create specific integration logic using SAP and Salesforce APIs to match workflows, checks, and data models. This approach gives companies complete control over how the integration is designed, making sure it fits their processes perfectly.

Best chosen when:

• The organization has specific needs, such as unique pricing rules and requirements to comply with industry regulations.

• The organization wants a scalable integration for the future.

• The organization wants maximum flexibility. 

Best practices for SAP and Salesforce integration

One can consider following these best practices to ensure a successful integration:

Plan out for the future. 

Pick an integration approach that can grow with you. Bring in stakeholders early to agree on business priorities. Choose a method that is flexible, scalable, and meets your long-term goals.

Safeguard authentication

Don't embed sensitive information, such as usernames and passwords, directly in your code. It can lead to security issues if the code is exposed. Instead, use Salesforce’s Named Credentials tool. It serves as a secure storage space and supports OAuth 2.0 for automatic, token-based authentication.

Implement measures for handling exceptions. 

Integration failures, such as timeouts or server errors, can occur. To reduce these issues, use try-catch logic for all API calls. It means you test parts of your code that could fail, and if they do, you can quickly catch and fix the errors. Also, use Salesforce Platform Events or custom objects to thoroughly log information.

Carefully optimize your API callouts. 

Salesforce has limits on API callouts that depend on your license and edition. To prevent issues, it’s essential to optimize your callouts for better efficiency. Break large data transfers into smaller batches, choose only the fields you need, and use caching methods wisely.

Seek professional help

Integrating these platforms can be complicated, especially when creating custom workflows. Working with experienced Salesforce integration specialists like Cyntexa can help you avoid mistakes. This partnership can also speed up deployment and ensure your setup follows industry best practices.

Plan for testing and monitoring

Before launching, test the entire system to ensure data flows correctly, errors are handled properly, and performance meets standards. After deployment, regularly check API calls, logs, and integration jobs to identify and fix issues before they escalate.

Provide adequate user training.

Train your end users to access unified data, read reports, and follow new workflows. It will help them adopt the system better and reduce mistakes.

• Also Read: Best Practices for Integrating Salesforce with SAP

Common Integration Challenges & Practical Solutions

• Data mapping complexity

  • When fields don’t match properly, data becomes incomplete or incorrect.

  • To avoid issues, map every field carefully in the beginning and use standardized data definitions across all systems.

• Limitations of legacy systems

  • Older SAP or on-premises systems often lack modern APIs, making it hard to integrate in real time.

  • Using middleware or iPaaS platforms or planning step-by-step upgrades can help close these gaps.

• Scalability problems

  • As your business grows, the initial setup may struggle to handle more data or new processes.

  • Design your integration to be scalable from the beginning and regularly monitor its performance.

• Cross-system reporting issues

  • When integration is only partial or inconsistent, it leads to reports that don't match or are inaccurate.

  • Make sure to regularly sync data, either in real time or at regular intervals, and check key reports across all connected systems. Working with experienced integration partners can also help.

• System downtime & reliability concerns

  • Maintenance, network failures, or high traffic can interrupt data flow and cause delays.

  • Add retry options and schedule large data transfers during off-peak hours.

• Security & compliance risks

  • Having more system connections raises the risk of data breaches or compliance issues.

  • Always use encryption and strong authentication. Follow essential rules such as GDPR and HIPAA.

Final Note

SAP and Salesforce are two of the most essential systems for a business. When they are not connected, they may not reach their full potential. However, with proper integration, they work together to enable faster actions and better decisions.

If you want to access these benefits, our team at Codleo can help. We have years of experience in Salesforce CRM integration services, and we can guide you in choosing and implementing the right approach. Don’t let growth pass you by. Book a meeting today!

Schedule a free consultation call!